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Toronto / March 8, 2010 – The Council of Canadians is
deeply concerned with the McGuinty government’s support for
policies that put water in Ontario and abroad at risk, following
today’s Throne Speech and is questioning whether the Premier is
actually committed to protecting water, given his emphasis on
privatization and ‘tech fixes’ that create more problems than
they solve.
“McGuinty is using people’s genuine growing concern about water
as a Trojan horse for widespread privatization,” says Council of Canadians national water campaigner Meera Karunananthan.
“The Water Opportunities Act proposed in today’s Throne
Speech will push water meters and corporatized water boards, which would
remove local accountability and set the table for the biggest
private water companies in the world to control our drinking
water.”
“The Premier’s support for water cleanup technology while
allowing unhindered development, water takings and mining -
including for chromite - is the wrong approach,” says
Karunananthan. “If water is protected there is no need for new technology.
The fact that he refuses to rip up the Certificate of Approval
for Site 41 means we should all be very skeptical about his
government’s alleged commitment to water.”
“The Premier has indicated a willingness sell off profitable
crown corporations to pay down the deficit but his privatization
agenda will leave Ontarians poorer and with less control over
their most vital services,” says Council of Canadians Ontario
Regional Organizer Mark Calzavara. “Selling any amount of them
now means that future governments will be able to sell off the
rest whenever they decide they need extra cash. In addition to
generating revenue for the government every year, these public
institutions can provide a leading role in addressing the
climate crisis through increased energy conservation and
efficiency and the expansion of renewable energy. When profit
becomes the only goal, these other benefits will disappear.”
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